A Piratess's Life
by mevans1358
Summary: AU. Her name is Rissa Turner and she's looking to make peace with her dad, despite their falling out seven years ago. With her little brother Will and her best friend Jack by her side, she can organize a jailbreak, survive a sword fight, fall in love, cure an illness, defy Davy Jones, and live to tell the tale. And maybe even in that order! T for language and summary... Gibbs/OC
1. Prologue

**A/N: This is my first story so do be kind. My disclaimers are on my profile.**

_I arrived home out of breath, reminiscing and marveling at my recent journey. I cannot even begin to tell how exciting that was, being out on open sea in a real ship. I was with the most able captain I've ever known… Even if Captain Jack Sparrow is a pirate, he's got to be the best I've ever heard of. He had discovered me down at the dock, looking out to the horizon after having run away from home. I had wanted to see some real action, to be on a ship and a crew, to experience my passion, my calling. But Father had always said no, that perhaps my extravagant notions were to prove my downfall. After all, he would say, a beautiful nineteen-year-old girl like you, Marissa Guinevere Turner, should not be wanting to sail. I replied that first, I blame him for giving me such an awful middle name, the name of his mother, my grandmother, who was lame in one leg and could not speak. And also, dear Father, my first name means 'child of the sea', so it is rather inevitable. At that point, the door had slammed behind me._

_I knocked on the door now, three months later, expecting to be welcomed into the house by the back of Father's hand. However, no, I was greeted by the charming, handsome, smiling face of my younger brother William Jr., ten years old and the best part of my life. "Rissy, you're home!" Will shouted, barreling into my chest, crushing me with a bear hug._

"_William, darling, you're quite welcome to hug me, but do make it so I can still breathe," I gasped. He loosened his grip and stood back to gaze upon me._

_Oh, no, I realized. Father is coming. Oh, no. William heard his footsteps also, and cowered into the bedroom as the rugged figure of William Sr., my father, entered our line of sight._

"_Marissa Guinevere Turner!" Father thundered. "How DARE you defy me! Sailing off and making us all frantic for three months, and with pirates no less!"_

"_Father, I wanted to!" I argued. "You know I love the sea. I cannot see myself doing anything unrelated to the ocean. If I have to be a pirate to sail on a ship, then so be it."_

"_Marissa, I would rather you be a whore than a pirate," Father snarled, standing so close to me I can smell rum on his breath. He's calling me a pirate and he's the one drinking rum. "If this is what you want, then get out of my house."_

"_Father!" William cried, aghast._

"_William, silence!" Father yelled._

"_Father, don't send Rissy away!" William sobbed, running out of the bedroom and wrapping himself around my waist._

_I bent down and looked at him. "William, look at me."_

_He turned to face me with dripping eyes. "Yes?"_

"_William, I have to do this," I told him, feeling tears of my own make their appearance. "I will never be anything if I cannot have the sea at my side, and if I have to be disowned in order to pursue my passion, then so it shall be."_

_William let out a massive cry and hugged me closer._

"_William, you promise me something," I ordered, pushing him back and shaking him a bit. "Do you promise to be a good boy and not to come looking after me?"_

_William just continued to cry in answer._

_I hugged him to my chest and let myself cry with him for a moment, and then I stood. I faced Father head-on._

"_As for you, Father," I said, moving to the door, "you can go straight to hell."_

_The door slammed shut behind me for the last time, and I was free…_

**A/N: I require a minimum of five reviews before I continue, so do feel free to click that button right there, the one that says Review on it. It couldn't be more obvious! Please click it! :D**


	2. Port Royal

**A/N: I lied about the five reviews. I just couldn't wait :D**

Seven Years Later

"Jack, why do I listen to you?" I asked, trying to re-rig the stupid sail. This little sloop was getting on my nerves.

"Because, Gwenny," Jack said from atop the mast, "I'm your best friend."

"_Don't _call me 'Gwenny'," I growled, shaking the mast. Jack gave a yelp and toppled from the crow's nest. "My name is Marissa. Marissa Turner." I spat into the sea, for the taste of my father's name brought horrible memories to my mind.

"Right you are, love," Jack mumbled, face to the loose wood of the deck.

But I didn't hear him. I was staring out to the all-too-familiar island in front of us.

"By the powers," I breathed. "It's Port Royal."

"Port Royal!" Jack cried. "Bound to be a good crew hanging around here somewheres." Jack shoved me from the mast and finished rigging the sail. "I'm the captain here, love, why don't you get some rest?"

"Fine," I replied curtly, sitting down. "There's an island about 16 miles that way, called Puerto de Guerra. There are loads of men there what will join your crew."

"Nay, love," Jack told me, aiming the sail dead ahead. "We're docking here. Port Royal, you said. Aren't you from here?"

I shot up to my feet. "Jack, you don't understand. I can't be here. My father lives here, and if he saw me, he'd -"

"Your father won't find you here," Jack said, looking at me. "Just keep away from your house and he won't see you."

"But I have to go home," I said.

"But I thought you said you didn't want your father to -"

"No, I have to find my brother," I explained. "William Jr. He was nearly ten when I left. He'd be seventeen now, eighteen some weeks hence. Oh, he must hate me."

"I bet he'll be right pleased to see you," Jack said.

I looked at Jack, surprised by his sincerity. "Thanks, Jack," I said.

"Welcome," Jack answered quickly. "Now help me dock this and get past the guards."

Jack tried to aim the sloop towards the left dock, but I was aiming for the right dock, so our different intended paths ended with the sloop crashing into the front of the center dock and breaking into pieces. I scrambled up the mast next to Jack and stepped onto the dock as the sloop sank beneath us.

We were halfway along the dock when a voice yelled, "Halt!"

Jack groaned. We turned around to find two men, one quite portly and one with a big nose, in King's Army uniforms, their faces matching their jackets.

"Who are you and what is your purpose here?" the fat one asked.

"Why don't you take this," Jack murmured, handing him a bag full of coins and patting him on the shoulder, "and forget you saw us?"

The man gaped, then smiled. "Welcome to Port Royal, Mr. and Mrs. Smith." He pocketed the bag.

Jack and I looked at each other disgustedly and continued on our way. As we passed the man, Jack swiped the bag from the man's pocket. I smiled.


	3. Reunited

Jack and I were strolling the road, trying to look normal, when suddenly the sound of breaking glass reached my ears.

Jack turned toward the sound – coming from a blacksmith shop. "Let's go see," Jack pleaded. "I love a good fight."

"Jack, it's a smithy; why would you want to go see -"

"Come on!" Jack grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the door. I pulled free, but lost my balance. I careened to the door and fell through it, shrieking in the process. "Gwen, are -" Jack started to say, but he didn't get to finish.

"Are you all right?" a voice asked.

I looked up, and what I saw made me gasp: "William?" I whispered.

The man looked at me strangely, and then realization crossed his face. "Rissy?"

"William!" I cried, and propelled myself to my feet. I clutched him to my chest. "Oh, William, I can't believe I've found you!"

"I thought you were dead!" He laughed in relief. "Father always told me you died!"

"Er, where is Father?" I asked tentatively.

William stepped back. "Father set out on a merchant ship the day after you left. He said he was going as a boatswain, but I think he was really going to look for you."

I almost cried. "William, do you -"

"My name's Will, Gwen," he snickered.

I slapped him on the shoulder for calling me Gwen. "Oh, Will, just like old times. I'm so glad I've found you. But I am sorry about Father."

Will scoffed. "Sorry, my foot. The entire rest of that day, Father was going on and on about how it was such a disgrace to the family, you becoming a pirate and going out to sea and all, and yet all the time he was bawling his eyes out. And then he goes and does the same thing. It was so unlike him."

"That does _not _sound like Father," I agreed. "And he was drinking rum! Of all the people in the world who hate pirates, Father would be the worst, and he was the one drinking rum."

Jack cut in, startling me back to the knowledge of his presence. "What's your father's name?"

"William Turner; same as mine," Will answered. Then he realized he didn't know Jack. "Who are you?"

"Captain Jack Sparrow, at your service," Jack introduced himself, making a mock obeisance to my brother. I giggled.

Will bowed back, not mocking. "William Turner Jr., at _your _service."

"I actually happen to know your father," Jack said.

My head turned so fast my neck cracked. "What? You knew my father all this time and you never told me?"

"I didn't think you'd want to know, Gwenny," he started to say, but I slapped him.

"Don't. Call. Me. Gwenny," I snarled. "Continue."

"Your father's Bootstrap Bill," Jack explained quickly, moving backward a bit in case I decided to hit him again. "I met him when I made a deal with Davy Jones. He works on the Dutchman, a bo'sun."

Will was aghast. "So Father did become a pirate."

"Not just a pirate, he works for Davy Jones!" I gasped out. "Will, Davy bloody Jones!"

"Calm down, Rissy, Father won't die," Will tried to console me.

"He can't die," Jack said matter-of-factly. "Once you've sold your soul to Jones, you're working on the ship for a hundred years, whether you like it or not."

"Oh, God," I whispered, sinking to my knees.

"Rissy!" Will caught me under the arms.

I smiled weakly. "Okay, if you have to call me something, would you call me Rissa? I mean, this name thing is getting really old."

"Okay," Will and Jack said simultaneously.

Will pulled me to my feet and then walked over to a sort of press. He pulled out two swords and threw me one.

"Let's go find Father," he said.

Jack stood in front of the door. "Ah, ah, ah, wait there just a moment. I can't go find Davy bloody Jones. I made a deal with him a while ago and we're not square yet. If I end up on the Dutchman, I'll have to stay there. Work for a hundred years there. And I do _not _see that happening."

"Come on, Jack, we need you," I begged. "You said you knew him. Let's just go and you can help us find him. You don't even have to come aboard. I'll go."

"And you'll get your pretty little arse kicked by Jones," Jack finished. "I can't let you go and do that."

"Too bad," I countered, twirling the sword. "As much as I resent his decision to disown me seven years ago, he is my father, and I'm going to find him. If you want to be a coward and keep _your _pretty little arse covered, go ahead."

Will looked impressed. "You always did win every fight."

I smiled.


	4. Puerto de Guerra

"Let's start looking over at Puerto," I said, referring to Puerto de Guerra. Puerto was an island 16 miles away and it was full of pirates; I knew that we'd find someone there, whether it would be Father or a member of Jack's crew.

"Right then," Jack said, and led the way out of the smithy. Will smiled at me and followed.

"By the way, thanks for the sword, Turner," Jack added, holding up a nice-looking blade.

"I didn't give you a -" Will started to say.

"Will, don't even bother," I cut him off.

Will snorted.

Jack brought us to the dock and dove off. "Come on!" he shouted, and struck out for the horizon.

"Rissa," Will muttered. "I can't swim very well."

"Well, it's about time you learned," I answered, and jumped in. "Let's go."

Will leaped clumsily into the water, and came up sputtering.

"Okay, okay." I slipped under the water and emerged with Will's arms in a lock around my shoulders.

"Loosen up a bit," I laughed. "You're not going to drown."

"Thanks for the warning," Will gasped.

I swam with Will on my back until we got about three-quarters of the way to Puerto. Jack ended up holding back a bit until he swam next to me for the rest of the way. "Okay, Will," I said, "let go. You're on your own for the rest."

"What?" he managed to say until I squirmed a bit, loosening his arms.

He fell under the water for a minute. I started to worry, but then he came up and began to swim. He was quite an uncoordinated swimmer, but I thought he could make it.

We swam the last two miles or so and pulled ourselves up onto the dock. Breathing heavily, I heaved Will up next to me and, horrified, I saw him slipping into unconsciousness.

"Will! No!" I cried. Jack, having immediately started off in search of a good rum, dashed back and said, "Oh, bugger."

"Jack, go find an alehouse called 'Brewer's Bounty' and ask for Alice Hathaway. She's a good friend of mine and she can help us. Hurry!"

Jack ran off. I pulled Will's shirt and vest over his head and began to push insistently on his sternum, hoping to get him to cough or retch, or something, and expel the water.

"Come on, Will, damn it, breathe," I murmured. "I just got you back."

Just as Jack came into my peripheral vision with Alice on his heels (Alice carrying one of her various remedies that she brewed for the raging drunk morons who would get sick in her alehouse), Will took a huge breath and vomited into the ocean.

"Oh, thank the powers," I whispered. I rubbed Will's back as he was ill.

When Will was finished, I stood and wiped my hands on my pants. "Ally, it's been too long." I hugged her.

"Much too long, love," she agreed, returning my embrace. She handed the bottle of remedy to Will. "Drink that up, lad, it'll settle your gut. What can I do for you and old Jack here, Rissa?"

"We're looking for Jack's crew," I explained. "Uh, he has the names, I've not seen them in a while, so I don't remember them all."

"Marty, Cotton, Pintel, Ragetti, Anamaria, and Gibbs," Jack rattled off. "Particularly Gibbs, though, he's my first mate and rather important."

Alice paused, and then took out a notice from her bodice. "Are those all the names?"

"Yep," Jack finished.

Alice handed me the notice, a grave look on her face:

_**Pirate Crew Apprehended At Last!**_

_**Currently Being Held in Puerto de Guerra Jail**_

Following this headline was a list of names: every single one was a member of Jack's crew.

"Oh, bugger," Jack said, reading over my shoulder.

"I just love jail breaks," I gushed sarcastically. "How in the name of Calypso would your stupid crew end up in prison?"

"How the hell should I know?" Jack fired back.

"Why don't we just stop fighting now," Will said weakly, standing up from the dock. "Let's just go to the prison and ask to speak to them."

Jack looked at him. "Oh, yes, that would be a fine conversation: 'Hello, Mister Officer, can I speak to the pirates? Right, yes, fifty lashes would be splendid.' Are you quite all right in the head, Mr. Turner?"

Will was going to come back with an indignant remark but I stopped him. "It's worth a try, Will."

Will fished for a moment and then said, "Okay."


	5. Seduction

"I have to get back to the alehouse," Alice said, "but good luck to you all."

"Thanks, Ally," I answered, reaching for her hand and squeezing it. "Give a drunk a good punch for me."

Alice laughed. "I will."

When Alice turned to go, I looked meaningfully at Will, and he seemed to realize my meaning. "Thanks, Alice, for the drink."

"You're welcome, William," she said, smiling at him and then at me.

As Alice left, Will grumbled, "I'm not ten years old anymore, Rissy."

"And I'm not under your roof anymore, so don't you dare call me that." I gave him a playful push.

"Okay, enough family lovey time," Jack cut in, shoving between Will and me. "Let's go find my crew." He set off at once.

Will looked surprised at Jack's rudeness, but I whispered to him, "You'll get used to it."

Will smiled.

* * *

When we approached the Puerto Jail, I noticed something. "Get back!" I hissed, shoving Jack and Will behind a corner. "There's a guard, Jack; what do we do?"

"Well, Will and I'll wait here," Jack suggested, "and why don't you go and do what beautiful young lassies like yourself do best?"

I gasped. "Jack, you're horrible. No."

"Oh, go on," Jack persisted. "I said you were beautiful."

I smirked. "Yeah, like that settles it. Fine, but I'm sure as hell not doing this for you."

I took a deep breath and sauntered up to the guard. "G'day, officer," I greeted him sexily, flipping gracefully into Cockney, one of my various practiced accents.

"G'day, miss," he replied breathlessly.

_Jack would be proud,_ I thought. "I'm here for a pirate," I continued, slowly slithering closer to him. I could feel his manner begin to shift.

"Oh, I can't let you in there," he said. "I'm under strict orders not to let anyone see the crew of the Black Pearl."

"Oh, _orders_," I scoffed, moving a tiny bit closer, almost touching now. "Aren't rules meant to be broken?"

Remembering a day long ago when I had to do this, I raised my hand behind my back and displayed two fingers: Jack and my agreed-upon sign for 'Almost there'.

"Well," the guard murmured, pulling me toward him and caressing my hair, "I suppose we could…just this once…"

"I'm quite glad you agree with me," I whispered into his ear. I breathed softly onto the side of his neck to distract him and slammed a fist to the side of his head. He dropped like a brick.

"It would never have worked between us," I said. "Jack! Will!" I called. "He won't be out for long!"

Jack and Will raced up to me, and I leaned down and swiped the keys from the guard's belt.

"Where did you learn to do that?" Will asked.

"That's not for children's ears," I answered smugly, giving my brother a kiss on the cheek. "Come on."

I heard him laugh softly as we followed Jack into the jail.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the short chapter; I've got a lot on my mind today and am also suffering from mild writer's block. Thanks very much to butterflyninja935 for their continued support and assistance, I appreciate it. And also a shoutout to SykeKaosDuchannesLerae, who is currently using Rissa (with my permission) for a Twilight fic of hers, "Running through Hell". It would do you well to read it, because it's a great fic. But do read the prequel "Runaway Bride" first or you won't understand RtH.**

**Thanks for reading my fic. It makes me so happy that people actually read my writing :)))) R&R!**


	6. Jailbreak

I anticipated a loud greeting as we entered the jail, and I was not disappointed: "JACK!"

All of them stormed the front of the cell and cheered for the return of their captain. I was surprised that seven people could fit into a cell that small.

"Good to see you, mates," Jack said triumphantly. "Glad you're all alive. Introductions – these fine people are William and Marissa Turner."

"_Rissa,_ Jack, or I'll send you flying 'cross the seven seas," I growled. Will laughed nervously.

"_Rissa_ Turner, sorry," Jack immediately corrected himself. "Oh, and _Will_, not Wil_liam_. God, I can't _stand _their names. Brother and sister. Good team. Should be of considerable help getting out of here; Rissa here did a real nice job of getting us in."

"Stow it," I muttered, blushing.

Jack cackled. "Let's get you lot out."

I produced the keys, and Jack unlocked the cell. As everyone came out, Anamaria (I supposed it was her, seeing as she was the only woman there) took Jack aside and said, "How's your friends' supreme knowledge at curing an ailment?"

Jack turned to me for an answer.

"Well, I don't know about Will, but I can do a good amount," I replied. "What's the matter?"

"Not me," Anamaria said, pointing into the cell. "By the way, call me Ana."

"Rissa. Nice to meet you," I said, following her finger: One man laid on the floor of the cell, unresponsive.

"Gibbs," Jack breathed, and started to enter the cell.

Ana instantly pulled him back. "You do _not _want to get near him, Jack. First day imprisoned here, Gibbs says he doesn't feel right; begins to sneeze, cough, what have you. Second day, the guard lets us out to use the privy and Gibbs doesn't have to go, so he stays with the guard. Third day, guard's dead, and Gibbs downright faints 'round noon. Been this way ever since, and that was three days ago. He's not dead," she added, seeing the frantic look on Jack's face, "but to be completely honest I don't think he's very far off."

Jack turned back to me, a pleading look on his face I'd never seen before. "Help him," he begged. "I can't go in there, but you can. Please, help him."

I slowly made my way into the cell. I'd had every illness known to man on the ships I'd stowed away on before I was tossed out of the house seven years ago and I hadn't gotten sick since, so I was surely protected as I leaned over the sleeping man and prodded him with a gentle fist.

Gibbs stirred and moaned. I nudged him harder and whispered, "Here, Gibbs, see here, you're free."

His head rose, and I almost gasped at the sight of his face: Completely bloodshot eyes and sunken cheeks, the signs of a nasty plague.

"Lord," I murmured. I held out a hand. "You're free, Gibbs. Come now with us."

Gibbs didn't answer but propped himself up with an elbow. Upon noticing Jack, his eyes widened and he opened his mouth to speak.

"Nay, man, you'll lose your voice even quicker than intended if you try to talk," I said, laying a hand on his shoulder. "Come on now."

I moved the hand under Gibbs' arm and stood up, heaving him up with me. I helped him out of the cell, moving his arm around my shoulders. As we left the jail, he moved his other arm to cling around me in a near-choke hold. I held his clasped hands in both of mine as I struggled forward, Jack, Will, and the crew following me in silence.

"Jack, come up," I called. As he came alongside me, I said quietly, "We haven't got a ship."

Ana had followed Jack, and upon hearing me, she said, "But we have."

She pointed; sure enough, there was a high mast peeking out from a hidden inlet.

Jack gasped. "The _Pearl_."

"Yes, Jack," Ana said happily. "The _Pearl_."

Jack smiled hugely. "Finally." He almost began to run ahead, but I whimpered loudly upon slicing a part of my exposed ankle on a stray piece of wood, and Jack was brought back to the present situation. He looked Gibbs straight in the eyes as he took one of Gibbs' arms and slung it around his own shoulders, and we walked on towards the _Black Pearl_.


	7. Swordfight

When we finally reached the _Pearl_, I was near to fainting; even in his emaciated state, Gibbs was still quite heavy. But I couldn't ask anyone else to help, because they'd catch whatever elusive illness Gibbs had. I'd remembered this halfway through the path down to the Puerto docks and told Jack that I could handle it myself.

Jack got up on deck first, but he was too elated to be back on his beloved ship that I had to beg Ana to go up and send down the net for Gibbs. I laid him down on the ropes as they were slowly lowered, and I surprised myself by thinking, _He looks rather helpless, doesn't he?_

"No, Marissa," I muttered to myself. "You're a piratess, you have no time for love."

"I thought you didn't like to be called Marissa," Will said from behind me.

"Only I can call me Marissa," I answered, and laughed at my convoluted sentence. "God, I sound like Jack."

"Yes, you do," Marty said from behind me.

"SCREAWK! WIND IN THE SAILS!" cried Cotton's parrot.

"That damn bird," I gasped, clutching my chest. "Scared the bloody life outa me. One day I'll have you in a pie."

Cotton looked scared.

"Just a joke, mate," I reassured him. I held a hand up to the parrot for it to climb on, but it pecked me. I glared at it, but smiled at Cotton.

Ana called down, "Enough chatter down there, let's get moving! We did escape from jail, you know!"

"Coming, coming," I yelled back.

As Ragetti was being brought up with the net (he was too weak to climb), I heard soft popping sounds, and slowly they got louder.

"The guards are here!" I screamed. "Hurry up with that net!"

Ana's terrified face disappeared from the side of the ship as she pulled harder on the rope. I knew that the net wouldn't make it back down for me in time for us to escape the guards, so I shouted, "Sword!"

A sword landed in the dirt inches from my right let. "Sorry!" Pintel cried.

"It's fine!" I snatched up the sword and prepared to fight.

The first guard ran up and slashed at me, but I parried it instantly and kicked him in the groin. As I sent the sword straight through his gut, I noticed that it was the guard from the jail. "Like I said, mate, it would never have worked between us," I said to him, and nudged him aside.

I whacked my way through all but one of the guards all on my own, hearing the entire crew's cries from the deck, giving me instructions on where to step and when to stab, but I noticed that in their tones, there was no fear: it was disbelief.

"Didn't think a girl could fight this well, eh, mate?" I gasped, swinging blindly at a rather fat guard with dirty bare feet.

As I turned to smile up at my friends on the deck, I made the one mistake that you do _not _make in a swordfight: never turn your back on your enemy. The guard's sword sliced quite cleanly through my right side.

The pain was sudden and hard, and I screeched in agony. "Jack, get down here, I'm hurt!"

One second, I saw the guard look at me in triumph, and the next second, he was flying sideways, having been kicked by Jack, who swung down on a rope.

The pain in my side intensified, and I fell to my knees as I saw the guard cut down expertly by Jack's blade. As the guard collapsed, Jack shot over to me, gathered me up in his arms, and shouted, "Gib – er, Ana, the net!"

The net dropped, and Jack lay me down, with gentle grace I had no idea he possessed. "If you die, Gwenny, I'll kill you," he murmured.

I smiled weakly as I slipped into unconsciousness, the net quickly ascending to the deck of the _Pearl_.


	8. Feelings

I awoke in a rather comfortable hammock, the pain in my side still quite present but not nearly as bad as it had been. I touched it gently and found it expertly bandaged.

"Don't touch it, Riss," Will's voice said from somewhere I couldn't see. "I've just changed your bandage."

"Mmmff…Will?" I turned my head and noticed my brother sitting beside the hammock. "How long have you been watching me?"

"The whole time," he answered. "I was terrified when the net brought you and Jack up, with Jack holding you in his arms. I thought you'd been killed, but Jack showed me your wound. I, er, hope the bandage isn't too tight, I tried to -"

"Relax, Will, you've done brilliantly," I said, chuckling quietly. "You sound like I remember you from home."

Will scoffed. "You older sister types are exhausting."

I laughed, and winced as electric pain shot through my cut. "Mmmtt! Looks like I'm not telling any jokes anytime soon."

Will smiled, and then frowned. "What?" I asked.

"Gibbs woke up earlier," he said quietly. "He sneezed for about ten minutes straight."

"Oh, no, is he worse?" I asked. My voice was more frantic than I expected it to come out.

"He's worse." Jack's voice surprised me as he came into my line of vision. He looked like Will, like he hadn't slept in days. "I've been up with him. He's gotten sick repeatedly, his fever's running sky high, and I've no bloody idea what to do. By the way," he added, a smile twitching his cheeks, "thanks for waking up."

"You're welcome," I answered. "God, Jack, you shouldn't be with him, you'll catch this and then the ship won't have a captain." I knew that that was one of his worst fears, having to be captained by someone else.

"I won't catch it, I'm sure I've had it before," Jack said angrily, trying to convince himself more than me. "And you know who'd be captain if I couldn't."

"Who?" I asked.

"You," Jack answered flatly. Will gaped.

Trying to change the subject, I asked, "How long have I been out?"

"Four days," Will cut in. "When Gibbs woke up before you, I expected the worst."

"He did?" I marveled at this.

"Well, he's dead to the world now," Will told me, and then looked scared at his use of words. Jack's face had changed drastically, from excitement at the fact that I was alive and speaking to absolute pain. This was so out of character for him, I thought if Gibbs died, he would follow straightaway.

"Jack," I said, reaching for and taking his hand despite the streak of pain in my side, "Gibbs is going to live. He's going to be fine."

Jack looked into my face, his dead eyes meeting mine. "Promise, Gwenny?"

"On pain of death, Jackie," I vowed, smirking. Finally, I'd found a name for him.

Jack smiled at his new name, and was about to playfully retort when a tremendous sneeze sounded from a few yards away. Jack's head shot toward the sound, and I saw him mouth, "Oh, Gibbs." He stood and ran his fingers through my hair as he left my side, undoubtedly to check on his former first mate.

"Will, can you help me up? I want to follow Jack and check on Gibbs." I asked, raising my arms. Will nodded and helped me to stand. I leaned on my little brother as I strained to walk alongside him, and I was startled as I found myself dwelling on the mortality of a man I didn't even know yet, that I was terrified of the prospect of his death, that I personally vowed to do anything and everything I could to keep him alive:

Gibbs.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry we had to wait so long for the Gibbs/OC to start up! It's been so hard, writing and writing and shouting at myself, "WHEN THE HELL IS IT GONNA HAPPEN, SELF?" Anyway, happy summer! Here's my present!**

**By the way, I am officially done with school, so I will hopefully be publishing at least one chap a day. If I don't, please don't send the evil Review Monsters after me begging me for updates. I CAN promise that two days won't go without an update. That's a blood promise.**

**Hope you're liking so far and as usual please R&R!**

**-Mevans x**


	9. Conversation

**A/N: I just have so much spare time today! Let's fill it with FF! I love when this happens :D**

**x Mevans**

* * *

Gibbs was asleep on Jack's bed when Will half-carried me into the room, and Jack was sitting on his big chair with down cushions from the captain's cabin, which I was dismayed to figure he was probably using for a bed, seeing as there was a rumpled sheet next to him on the floor.

"Jack," I whispered, "you're insane, man. You go on up on deck and get some fresh sea air and I'll look after Gibbs."

As Jack turned to look at me, Gibbs' eyes opened and his face contorted. I knew that face, having taken care of sick men countless times: He was about to sneeze, and Jack was right in his line of fire. If those germs touched Jack, he was done for.

All thought of my condition completely obliterated, I leaped forward and grabbed Jack, pulling him backward out of the chair to slam against the wall where Will stood, eyes wide. I gave a fresh cry of pain and fell to the floor as Gibbs let loose a monstrous sneeze that propelled him forward and shook the bed beneath him. As he fell back onto the pillows, he sniffled helplessly.

Will knelt to help me stand, but I shook off his hand. "Jack, Will, go up on deck. That's an order," I whispered. Jack looked ready to fight me, but Will gently pulled on his arm, and to my amazement, Jack relented and followed.

Alone in the room with Gibbs, a whole host of things were vying for position inside my weak, pain-ridden brain, but I shoved them all out of the way. First I had to concentrate on standing up.

I slid slowly over to Jack's chair and grasped the side. Grunting and squeezing my eyes shut in agony, I managed to pull myself to a kneeling position. As my eyes opened, I noticed that Gibbs was watching me with fervent interest, as if he was impressed with my determination.

"Oh, don't mind me, I've had much worse," I managed to spit out, despite the pain. I lowered myself into the chair and put a hand to my wound, which throbbed insistently. "It's you we've got to worry about, Gibbs."

I reached for his hand and shook it, smiling. "I'm Marissa Turner," I told him. _Did I just say Marissa? _I thought. _What the hell is happening to me? _"Jack's told me so much about you."

"Great," Gibbs said hoarsely. "That must have been interesting." He looked around for something. "Do you know where -"

"On it." I retrieved a clean handkerchief from the nearby washbasin and handed it to him.

"You seem to know what you're doing," Gibbs remarked, taking the handkerchief and blowing his nose wetly.

"Yeah, I've done this before," I said quietly, suddenly shy. "You've probably met my little brother, Will," I added, trying to steer the conversation away from my abilities. "He's up on deck with Jack; I sent them for some air."

"You sent Jack somewhere and he listened?" Gibbs seemed very surprised. "You must be closer to him than I am."

"Well, I don't know about that," I laughed. "You've probably known him longer."

"Yes, but he doesn't ever listen to me," he said. "I must've told him a hundred times to go away from me so he doesn't catch this, but he always shakes it off."

My stomach dropped. "You mean he hasn't had this before?"

"Oh, he would always brag about never having gotten sick in his life," Gibbs told me. "I believed him. Still do. _Hhhuh-huhh...HIiiiIIsschoo!_" Another sneeze ripped its way out of Gibbs' nose, soiling the handkerchief. "Damn, this is really getting to me," he muttered.

I reached for the handkerchief, but he pulled it away. "If anyone shouldn't get this, it's you, because Jack doesn't listen to _anyone_."

"I've had it," I explained, tugging the handkerchief away from him. I was shocked at how weak his attempt was at trying to pull it back. "Please believe me, I've had this before."

Gibbs paused, and then asked quietly, "I don't even know what it is. How bad does it get?"

"It varies for every person. I actually think it's a rather vicious form of the flu. When I had it, I was down for about two weeks…" I was going to continue one way, but when I saw Gibbs' face twist with the thought of being down with this for two weeks, possibly more, I went down a different path. "…Then again, I was thirteen years old then..."

"How old are you now?" Gibbs blurted.

"I'll be twenty-six in a few weeks," I answered slowly. "Why?"

"Just asking," he muttered. "Go on, sorry."

"I was also living in an actual house," I remembered suddenly. "I had this when I lived with Father and Will."

"Why don't you live there still?" Gibbs asked. "Sorry, that's not my business."

Noticing his face change again, I handed him a fresh handkerchief just in case. "I got thrown out of the house when I was nineteen because my father hated that I liked to be on a ship more than in my own house."

"Really?" Gibbs seemed genuinely interested in my past, so I decided to continue.

"Yes, Father was always one that was strictly against pirates, or seamen of any kind, for that matter. I didn't want to displease my father, but I couldn't stand the thought of becoming a spinster or something when the ocean was right there in front of me the whole time. So I willingly left the house, and I hadn't been on land since the day I met Jack on Tortuga two years ago, and I've been gallivanting around with him ever since."

"Where was your mother during all this?"

"She died giving birth to my little sister Charlotte when I was twelve, and Charlotte died of scarlet fever when she was three."

"I'm sorry," Gibbs said. "That must have been hard."

"It was," I agreed sadly. "Will was hit harder with it though; he was only five, two years older. … Charlotte looked just like Mum."

Realizing that I was probably going to cry soon, I tried to change the subject, but I was deterred by another of Gibbs' sneezes, and still another. _"HiiIIISChoo! HIISchoo!"_

"Oh, Gibbs," I heard myself whisper. I nearly slapped myself in the face.

Gibbs tried to take a deep breath, but exhaled rapidly. He sneezed once more, _"HIIiiiHIIISchoo!"_ The sheer brute force of it slammed him back into the headboard, knocking him out. I immediately propelled myself forward and checked him all over for signs of injury, but all was well.

I leaned over him as far as I could and gently kissed his feverish cheek, still shocked that my feelings for Gibbs had taken such a fast turn and I'd only known him for, well, I'd been unconscious for most of them, but I'd known him for six days counting this one.

I was amazed: Why did I feel this way for him? Why had my feelings for him become so strong in such a short time? It wasn't like I was going to die in three hours and never get to see him again! I had to be slower, much, much slower, and yet I wanted to be as fast as I could.

I was so immersed in my unanswered questions that I was oblivious to the mad footsteps down the stairs and toward my location, and the agitated shouts up on deck: "IT'S THE _FLYING DUTCHMAN_!"


	10. Taken

I started violently when Jack tumbled into the room and fell flat on his face. He stood up with speed I hadn't seen in months and gasped, "_Flying Dutchman.._."

"Are you serious?" I spit. I scanned the room angrily for something that would help me walk, and settled for a long stick that looked like it would make a decent cane. I hobbled through the hold and up the stairs to the deck.

The _Dutchman _was indeed straight off our starboard side, just as Jack said, and it was the most terrifying thing I'd ever seen. My breath halted and I trembled violently. Will came up and hugged me tightly, shaking slightly himself.

Suddenly, a figure appeared out of nowhere in front of us: it was human, but just as inhuman; there were tentacles where there should be a beard.

Davy Jones…

The smack of my makeshift cane on the deck jolted me back to the present. "What do you want?" I whimpered, losing my balance. Will steadied me.

"I hear you be looking for your father, Miss Turner," Jones hissed.

I moaned involuntarily. _He knows my name…_

"Oh, come on, Jones, have a heart. You're scaring her to pieces," Jack said, striding up the stairs from behind me and smiling at his own little joke. He gave Will a meaningful look, and Will handed me off to Jack. Jack held me up with his arms. "I promise it'll be okay, love," he murmured into my ear.

Jones growled. "You stay out of this, Sparrow."

"No," Jack replied. I was surprised at the determination behind his answer.

Jones snarled at him and grabbed me, resulting in me starting to scream hysterically. When Jack tried to take me back, Jones was ready with a hard punch, and Jack fell straight to the deck. Will moved to take over, but I cried, "No, Will!"

Being my little brother, he didn't listen, and he too was knocked senseless by Jones. I let out a cry of pain and shock, and as Jones squeezed me to his chest as he called for a rope on which to swing back to his own ship, I was once again sent careening into unconsciousness.

* * *

I awoke in a dank, wet place, this time feeling more pain than I had the last time I came out of a faint. I moaned quietly.

"Easy does it, love," a voice said. "Jones can be real rough when he wants."

The familiar lilt and ring of that voice made me twist around, and the pain was nearly unbearable. I screamed.

"Okay, okay." Gentle hands moved my body so I was facing the person who spoke: The sight of him made tears flow down my cheeks like a waterfall. I sobbed like I hadn't done in years.

"Oh, you poor thing," he murmured. "Jones can go to hell. I'm going to help you no matter what he says."

He held out his hand, like the gentleman he always was. "My name is William Turner. ' Round here I'm known as Bootstrap Bill, but you can call me whatever."

"How about 'Father'?" I whispered hoarsely.

He froze, realizing. "Marissa…"

* * *

**A/N: Hahaha! My first cliffie! R&R please and see you tomorrow!**

**x Mevans**


	11. Little Dove

Father almost fell off his chair. "Marissa…?" he repeated.

I smiled. "Hello, Father."

Father leaped up and gasped with excitement. "Oh, I can't believe it's you!" His expression immediately turned to anger and concern. "What in the name of Calypso are you doing on the _Dutchman_?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing," I said, propping myself up on an elbow. "I was on the _Black Pearl, _down in the brig with Gibbs, watching over him, and then Jack barrels into the room and tells me that the _Flying Dutchman _is off the starboard side. I hop up on deck and get taken by Jones…who happens to be inhumanly strong, uhhh," I add, groaning at the new pain. "Damn, this is really getting to me."

"Where are you hurt?" Father asked, the light in his eyes changing.

"It's not completely Jones' fault," I said quickly. "I was stabbed in a swordfight by a guard back on Puerto, but I guess it got aggravated when Jones squeezed the hell outa me."

"Getting in swordfights and gallivanting around on the _Black Pearl_," Father muttered. "It really is you, Marissa."

"I'm known as Rissa now," I snapped before I could stop myself. "Sorry. I just hate being called Marissa because…" I trailed off in shock. "…Because only my father called me that."

Father's eyes widened. "I'll call you Rissa," he said.

"No," I begged. "I haven't been called Marissa and not minded it for seven years, Father."

"Since you left home," Father said.

"No, since you threw me out."

"Well, same thing."

I laughed. "It's good to argue with you again, Father."

Father was about to answer when he and I heard heavy footsteps coming towards us.

"It's Jones," Father whispered. "Keep your place and he won't bite."

As Jones came close enough for us to see him, Father helped me sit up as best I could.

"Ho, Miss Turner," Jones greeted me menacingly. "Bootstrap, to the deck with you."

I looked at Father, terrified at the idea of him having to leave, but knowing that he had to follow captain's orders.

"Aye, Cap'n," Father whispered, and took one last look back at me before disappearing.

"So, _Marissa,_" Jones hissed scornfully. "We must -"

"Rissa," I spit. "My name is Rissa."

Jones slapped me across the face with his claw. "You do _not _challenge the captain, little dove."

"What did you call me?" I asked.

"I called you little dove," he repeated. "Aren't doves birds of peace? And I thought Bootstrap would never stop going on about how awful his daughter was."

I knew by instinct that Father had only done that to fool Jones. "I did try to make peace with my father."

"Well, I hope it worked," Jones said, leaning closer to me so I could smell his rancid breath, "because I do not like little doves."

Jones stood. "You are leaving this ship at noon, whether the _Pearl _is alongside her or not."

I let out an involuntary cry of shock. "No!"

Jones began to laugh horribly as he left my side, going back up on deck. "Bootstrap Turner!" I heard him shout. "Guess what!"

Suddenly, I remembered something that Jack had told me long ago, when we were to separate on a remote island: _"If you're ever in a scrape, scream, and no matter where I am, I'll hear you."_

Praying fiercely to Calypso that it wasn't just one of Jack's witty sayings, I screamed as I never had before, my state of sheer terror fueling me through the pain.


	12. Overboard

**A/N: Okay, this chapter's a little out of place, but it has to flow like this in order for the rest of the plot to follow.**

* * *

I screamed for so long… When I couldn't scream anymore, I just laid there. I knew I wasn't going to be able to swim very much with this blasted gash on my side, and I knew that Jack was just being an idiot when he said wherever he was, he would hear me screaming. The _Pearl _was so obviously miles away from the _Dutchman _by now.

I was doomed.

When noon showed up, Jones came down the stairs with the most evil smirk on his face. "Time to go, little dove," he cooed horribly.

I looked at him blankly.

He growled and snatched me by the arm, literally dragging me through the hold and up the stairs onto the deck. I forced myself not to cry out in pain, because if these were my last moments, I wanted to be strong, strong for Father, for Will, for Jack, for the _Pearl _crew, for Gibbs…

Wait – Gibbs!

The instant his name clicked in my head, I began screaming my fool head off. Jones kept slapping me, trying to get me to stop, but I kept on screaming. My shouts were getting softer, due to my having been screeching for about half an hour. But I couldn't stop: Gibbs needed me…

* * *

"_Bring her around!" Jack cried. "Rissa's in trouble!"_

"_Aye, sir!" Will spun the wheel and guided the ship towards his sister's screams._

_Jack ran up near the figurehead. "Come on, girl, faster," he goaded the ship. "Faster, faster, faster…"_

* * *

Jones hauled me up onto the plank, and I looked up for the first time in a while. I saw Father tied to the mast, and he was crying.

"Father…" I whispered.

"Nooooooo!" Father wailed, sobbing. "Marissaaaaa!"

"Father," I said, louder, but when I tried to stand, Jones prodded me with his sword, and I fell.

_Gibbs _was my only thought as I plummeted to the waves…

* * *

_The _Dutchman _was in sight of the _Pearl _now. Jack could just make out the outline of a small body struggle to stand on the plank, and then Jones's sword pushed it into the sea._

"_RISSA!" Jack whipped around at the shout and was shocked to see that it was Gibbs who had uttered it._

"_Gibbs, what the bloody hell are you -" Jack tried to say, but Gibbs ran as fast as he could in his state to the side of the ship and leaped into the net, guiding it and himself down to the ocean…_

* * *

The water was freezing, and it pierced my body like a thousand knives. I slipped underneath the water…

* * *

"_Gibbs!" Jack shimmied down the net and took the guiding rope from Gibbs, but he let Gibbs pull the soaking-wet, freshly bleeding Rissa from the sea…_

* * *

The last thing I knew was being pulled from the water and into a warm embrace…

* * *

**A/N: If you don't understand why this went like it did, just wait for the next chapter, it'll clear it all up.**

**Thanks! ****x Mevans**


	13. Realization

"_Rissa, you've gotta wake up…please don't die…I just got you back, after so long…please, Rissa…"_

"_Gwenny, love, please come back to us…come on…we won't be the same without you, Gwenny…"_

"_Marissa, you saved my life…I can't let you die…you can't die…please…"_

I couldn't recognize the voices, but I could hear what they were saying. It was like I was dreaming: I was aware of a semi-darkness, a sort of fog, like Jack and I always experienced on the ships we managed to commandeer before we got the sloop at Tortuga that took us to Port Royal. I also was aware that I couldn't move. I tried to move my arms, but I couldn't reach farther than an inch or so.

"_Jack!" _I heard my own voice cry out. _"Will! Gibbs! Father! Help me!"_

I think I heard someone answer, but I couldn't understand …

Suddenly, the fog disappeared. I was looking up at the faces of Will, Jack, and Gibbs. I tried to talk, but Gibbs stopped me, laying a finger on my chapped lips.

"You'll lose your voice even quicker than intended if you try to talk," he whispered, leaning close to me so I could hear through almost completely plugged-up ears.

It took me a moment to realize that it was now his turn to repeat my words. But unlike him, I didn't listen: the deadened, shockingly hoarse sound of my voice scared me, genuinely scared me. "Gibbs, you're...I can't let you get this…you have to go away…"

"I've had it," he said, caressing my hair. I didn't notice that Jack and Will had smiled knowingly at each other and walked away. "Please believe me, I've had this before."

"How bad does it get?" I asked weakly.

"You're almost out of it," he assured me. "When you wake up, it takes about a day to recover."  
I almost breathed out in relief, but I knew it would hurt.

Gibbs turned and sneezed freely over his shoulder. Facing me again, he groaned, congested, and rummaged in his vest for a handkerchief.

I tried to sit up to look around for one, but I was shocked all over by new pain, worse than I'd ever had. I had to see it: I pulled back a new bandage and saw that that little sword wound from Puerto had opened up into a full-fledged gash. "Oh, Lord," I whispered.

"Yes, it's rather b-bad…_hhuh…HiiIIISschoo!_" Gibbs sneezed violently. "Mary, Mother of God!" he shouted in frustration, wiping the handkerchief roughly across his face. "Why is this still here?"

"Gibbs…" I said slowly, suddenly realizing something. "…Who pulled me out of the water?"

He paused. "I did," he answered quietly.

"Are you crazy? Ahh!" I'd shouted too loudly and it had pulled at the gash. Breathing shallow, I gasped out, "Gibbs, you knew you were too sick to do that!"

"_Huuhhh…hhuh…HiiIIIISschoo!"_ Gibbs looked positively menacing when he raised the handkerchief to his face to cover his sneeze. After finishing, he said, "I knew that if someone didn't save you, you'd die."

"Well, Jack could've saved me!" I exclaimed. "Will could've! There were plenty of men up on deck that could've! You should have stayed in bed like you knew you should have!"

"But I would never be able to -" Gibbs stopped abruptly.

"What?" I persisted. "What's so damn important about me that you would risk your own health to save my life, Gibbs?"

"I would never be able to live with myself if I just lay helplessly in the hold and let someone else save you," Gibbs murmured, blushing madly. "I couldn't see any other way…to express…my…my l-love for you if I let s-someone else…s-save you."

I was shocked. "Gibbs, I'm twenty-six."

"You jailbrea-er, jail-_broke_ the crew of the _Pearl_, including me; you carried me seven miles from the Puerto Jail to the _Pearl_; you looked after me when I knocked myself out, and you're still alive after sustaining otherwise certainly fatal wounds. The fact that you're twenty-six does not come into play here. Only your heart's choice does."

I looked at him, and I saw the other side of him: the side that was not the pirate, that was not Jack's best friend and the brave first mate of the _Black Pearl_. I saw the side that was human, truly human…breakable.

I wanted it, and I loved it. Oh, how I loved it.

I blinked, and was surprised to feel a tear slide down my bruised cheek. Gibbs' ever-so-gentle finger wiped it away, he leaned down closer, and I felt the warmth of his breath on my cheeks.

…And he kissed me…

* * *

**A/N: Oh, I bet you all hate me even more now ):D Cliffies seem to be my specialty...eh Butterfly? Lol. See you tomorrow!**

**x Mevans**


	14. Determination

Gibbs suddenly pulled back. "I…" His expression was fearful.

"Gibbs, it's -" I was going to tell him it was okay that he kissed me, but I soon figured out that that wasn't what he meant. He raised a shaky hand to his forehead and said, "What…"

And he fell to the floor.

"Gibbs!" I shrieked. "JACK! WILL! _HELP!_"

I heaved myself out of the bed, yet again ignoring the pain – "Oh, hang this bloody gash," I hissed to myself – and landed on the floor next to him. "Gibbs, Gibbs, wake up," I begged, lightly and then harder slapping his face.

Jack had heard my cries and appeared at the door. "Oh, bugger," he said. "Turner! Get down here!" he shouted over his shoulder, and knelt down next to Gibbs and me. Feeling Gibbs' forehead, Jack's eyes widened exponentially. "Calypso…" he whispered. " He's like fire. Move a bit, Rissa."

I stood up – quicker than I thought I would be able to – and I sat in the nearby chair, watching helplessly.

Will arrived and helped Jack lift Gibbs into the bed I'd just vacated. Jack turned to Will and gave him a look that so plainly said _I think this is it._

"Jack, don't you _dare _give up on him," I demanded. "I won't, and I'm in no condition to even be able to stand up. You're in perfect health, a perfect state. You and Will can do what I can't. Please, don't give up on him."

Jack and Will looked at me. "I won't give up on him," Jack said, "but to be honest, I don't think I'll have to."

I realized his meaning. "…Will?" I whimpered, feeling the tears come.

Will shook his head. "The same thing happened to my old master, back at the smithy, years ago. When he was down with pneumonia…he fainted and never woke up."

I cried out. "I won't give up…" I wailed. "I won't!" I completely broke down, my head in my hands and bawling like I hadn't in years. Actually, since the day I was thrown out of the house seven years ago.

I felt arms envelop me into a warm embrace, but as I knew that they didn't belong to Gibbs, I sobbed on.


	15. Pain

I didn't realize that I'd fallen asleep until I jolted awake. I was still in the chair, and someone had put a blanket around me. _Will, _a little voice in my head told me. I smiled.

I was about to burrow deeper into the blanket and return to my dreams when I looked over at the bed and received an electric shock that went deeper than my soul:

Gibbs wasn't there.

_No…_

I shot out of the chair, almost flattening myself tripping over the blanket, and tore out of the room and up the stairs to the deck. I got there just in time to see Jack dash into his cabin.

I made to follow him, but a hand caught me. It was Ana. "Don't follow Jack just now," she said. "He wants to be alone."

"Where's Gibbs?" I pleaded. "I woke up…and he wasn't there…"

Ana smiled sadly and took my hand. "Marissa…"

"My name is _Rissa_!" I cried. "Answer me! _Where's Gibbs, Ana?_"

A tear ran down Ana's cheek, something I would never thought would happen with the only other female pirate I'd ever met, her being so strong and everything. "Rissa, his last words were 'Tell my Rissa that I'm sorry.'"

I fell to my knees. _"NOOOOOOOOOO!"_ My scream was so loud, so shrill, so pain-ridden, that I knew that wherever Gibbs was, he heard me.

I knew the traditional way to bury a sailor was at sea, to throw the body off the side of a ship, so I propelled myself to my feet and leaped off the side of the _Pearl_.

* * *

**A/N: I'm not as mean as you think...I think I'll do one more chapter today.**

**x Mevans**


	16. The Second Chest

I heard the shouts of the _Pearl _crew, but I didn't care. I only wanted to die, so I could be with Gibbs.

But I think Father had other ideas.

The _Dutchman _gracefully appeared out of the ocean right beneath me, catching the collar of my shirt on the main mast as it surged out of the depths. I shrieked, but then I saw that Father was there, waiting in the crow's nest to rope me over.

"Rissa, grab the rope!" I took the rope, but my attempt to hold it was so weak, I began to fall to the decks, but Father swung down on the rope and caught me.

"Marissa Guinevere Turner, what in the name of Calypso made you think that you can jump off the side of a ship?" It was like we were back home, just fighting as usual about something or other.

"Gibbs died," I whispered. The pain – not from the gash this time – ripped through me like a cannonball.

Father's face changed dramatically. "Oh," he said. "Oh."

I heard Jack shout, "Bootstrap, you take care of her! You hear me?"

"That's a promise!" Father called back. "On pain of death!"

I saw Will wave, and Father was surprised to see him. "William…" he breathed. I saw him wave back, but then I swooned, and everything went black.

* * *

"You never told me your brother was with you the whole time," Father said, having revived me below decks.

"I forgot," I replied lamely.

"I suppose that might happen," Father laughed. "Now," he continued, much more seriously, "you must listen very closely. You have heard the legends of the heart of Davy Jones?"

"Of course I have, Father."

"Well, the chest that holds the heart is hidden very well."

"I know that too."

"But that's not anywhere near as important as the other chest."

"What other chest?"

Father stood and began to pace. "When Davy Jones loved the sea goddess, Calypso, she gave him a chest full of magic, magic that when used, could do anything the user desired." Father looked me full in the face. "Magic that could even defy death."

"I could bring Gibbs back if I had this chest?" I asked.

"Yes."

"Where is this chest? Tell me, Father!" I begged him.

"Davy Jones entrusted a sailor to look after the chest about the time you left me," Father told me. "Er, I mean, about the time I threw you out. The sailor took the chest and hid it in a special room in his house. A room that he knew that he would never enter again, for the room belonged to someone he thought he would never see again."

"He gave the chest to you, and you hid it in my bedroom," I whispered.

"Yes." Father took both of my hands in his. "You must somehow get your brother off the _Pearl _and onto the _Dutchman_, and you must both find a way back to Port Royal to get the chest from your room. It's under that old loose floorboard, remember? And don't bother bringing the chest back here; just open it. Make sure that it's you who opens it. Will can break the lock, but you have to open it. Hear me?"

"Yes," I said.

Suddenly, there were shouts up on deck. Father looked up. "I better go see what all that's about," he muttered.

"Father, take me with you," I said quickly, getting a peculiar feeling that I should.

Father looked at me strangely. "Okay," he agreed, helping me to the stairs.

When we got up on deck, I was shocked to see the boatswain holding Will in a headlock.

"This one's a stowaway," the boatswain growled.

"That's my son, bo'sun," Father corrected him quietly, giving me an impressed look. "And this here's my daughter. Just send 'em both off in one of the boats."

The boatswain laughed. "Cruel father you are, Turner."

"Aye." Father looked at me evilly, but his eyes told me otherwise.

_Thank you, Father, _I thought.

Will and I were thrust into the lifeboat, and lowered into the sea.

"Well, that was just great, Rissa; now what?" Will snarled.

"That was a setup, Will," I answered calmly, handing Will the oars. "Man the oars. We have to get back to Port Royal."

"And why is that?"

"I have a plan."

* * *

**A/N: Ha ha ha. I like my cliffies. Until tomorrow, my faithful readers! R&R!**

**x Mevans**


	17. Memories

It took about three hours to row back to Port Royal, and halfway through Will looked like he was about to faint, so I took the oars. The pain was like hell, but I just thought about Gibbs the whole time and it didn't hurt as much.

When we finally docked, Will leaped out of the boat and pulled me up after him. We dashed down the streets, praying that no one would recognize us, especially if Will's old boss was out and about.

Finally, we reached the house. Will kicked open the door and slipped inside, and beckoned to me to follow, walking steps ahead of me. I took a deep breath and stepped inside. It was exactly as I remembered it.

I kept my head down as I trudged the familiar path to my room. Will was already there, but he hadn't opened the door yet. "Go on, Rissa," he said. "Open the door."

"No, Will, I can't do it," I whispered.

"Yes, you can." He took my hand and placed it on the doorknob. "Do it."

"I really can't, Will," I said, twisting the doorknob. "It's locked."

"Well, I'm not kicking it open, so either you can or Gibbs stays dead."

I gave him a scathing look and gave the door a weak kick. "That was pathetic," Will remarked. I mustered all my remaining strength and slammed my full weight against the door.

I toppled into the room, and Will stepped over me. "Uh, little help here?" I asked, holding up a hand. Will laughed and helped me to stand.

There was a very fine layer of dust over everything. I had never had a problem with dust before, but I could feel it clogging my airways as I went farther into the room.

"Okay, the loose floorboard is -" I started.

"Rissa, on the bed."

I turned to see where Will indicated – on the bed, there was a rectangular imprint on the right pillow. I touched it – it was a note.

As I opened it, I already knew who had left it.

"Read it out loud, Rissa," Will advised. "It won't hurt as much."

I blew off the dust and did so:

_My dearest Marissa,_

_It's my fault you left. I should never have tried to stop you from doing what you love. Your mother would have been appalled at the treatment I bestowed upon you today. And your brother now despises me. He says, "Now Rissy's died too, Father."_

_It's as if you have died, Marissa. You were all I had left of your mother. I'm so very sorry, my daughter. If only I could see you again, I would tell you how much I regret today, how much I regret the last seven years that your mother's been gone, and I treated the only part of her I had left with the same respect that I treat those damn drunk fools that sleep on our front steps every midnight._

_Marissa, I know you will probably never come back to read this. But I want you to know: Until I stop breathing, I will never stop loving you._

_I will always be your loving father,_

_William Turner, Sr._

The date was the day I left.

"Oh, Father," I whispered, feeling the tears come. I reached out to hug Will, but my hand met something cold and hard in the process.

I looked up, and saw I had touched a brass chest that Will held in his hands. The loose floorboard lay off to the side in the corner.

"Are you ready?" Will asked.

I kissed the note, tucked it safely inside my vest, and nodded.


	18. Power

"Father says you have to break the lock," I said. "But how would -"  
Will pulled a strange tool from his pocket and jabbed it at the lock. It broke instantly.

"How -"

"I _am_ a blacksmith, Riss," Will said, smiling.

I laughed. "Okay, let's get this over with."

Will placed the chest onto the bed and stepped back. I crossed myself, said, "Gibbs, I love you," reached out, and opened the chest.

The air whooshed around me, and a strange gold mist shot out of the chest and engulfed me, twisting me in all directions. "Will!" I screamed.

Suddenly, my arms flew out to the sides, and I rose into the air. I moaned, feeling the power envelop my whole body.

As I lowered back down to the ground, I smiled at Will.

**That was bloody scary.**

"Yes, it was," I agreed.

"What?"

"You said it was bloody scary. I agreed with you."

Will looked me in the face. "I said nothing." **Can you hear me in here?**

"In where?" I asked.

"In my head," Will said slowly.

"Oh, man..." I breathed.

"Riss, if you can hear inside my head, I think you just might be able to bring back Gibbs," Will remarked playfully.

I laughed. "Well, then let's go."

* * *

**A/N: Sorry that this is excruciatingly short, but I have a truckload of things I have to do today, a million places I have to go. I'll try to upload another chapter later if I am actually home. After all, it is Father's Day! All you amazing people who are reading this, please tell your fathers to have an amazing day!**

**x Mevans**


	19. What Happened to You?

We left the house and went back to our lifeboat at the dock. This time, I took the oars.

When we were underway, Will spoke: "How do you suppose you're going to go about bringing Gibbs back to life?"

I stopped rowing for a moment. "I don't know, Will. Maybe I just throw out my hands and say Abracadabra."

Will laughed. "Well, I think it might be a little bit more complicated. We'll see."

"Yes, we will," I agreed. "This is seeming a lot slower when I row," I added.

"No, you're rowing as fast as I did," Will said, puzzled.

Suddenly, I had an idea. I smiled cleverly and tapped the back of the boat with my hand. "Let's see what this does."

The boat instantly shot forward, sending Will flat on his back. I reached out and pulled him up, laughing. "I could get used to this!"

* * *

The _Pearl_ was in sight in less than five minutes with our speed. "Jack!" I cried. "Ana! Are you there?"

Ana's head appeared at the side of the ship. "Rissa! We thought you died!"

"I didn't! I was rescued by Father!" I called up, abandoning the boat and climbing up the side of the _Pearl_ like the monkey. I didn't realize what I was doing until Ragetti sent down the net for Will and all three of them looked at me like I was mad.

"Whoa," I gasped.

Ragetti said, "What happened to you?"

"I opened the second chest," I said simply. "And now, I've got a pirate to save."

* * *

**A/N: Again, it's way too short for my liking, but I guess it's just mild writer's block. I'll be back!**

**x Mevans**


	20. Nothing

The crew stood in the middle of the deck, and I was told to stand on top of a barrel. I supposed that it was kind of like a sermon, where I was the preacher.

"Okay, Rissa, I suppose you just…do your thing," Jack said uncertainly, waving his hands about in a demonstration of what he thought I should do.

"Well, I'm not exactly sure, Jack," I replied, exasperated. "I've not really had magical powers before, so -"

Suddenly, the _Dutchman_ appeared on our port side, and the entire crew scattered. "NO!" Jack shouted. "Stay where you are, you cowards!" He thought something vile that I will not repeat under any circumstances.

I prepared myself for Davy Jones to come teleporting in and slap me around like a sack of bones, but then I remembered I had magical powers. "Bring it on!" I shouted. "Let's see what you can do!"

Sure enough, Jones showed up right on cue. "Ho, little dove," he growled. "So you've found my chest."

"Yes, I have," I snarled back. "And now I have enough power to defeat you."

"If you kill me, little dove, you must take my place as captain of the _Flying Dutchman_," Jones explained snidely. "The _Dutchman _must always have a captain."

Well, Father, you forgot to mention _that_! I was about to think up another brilliant plan when I heard Father's voice in my head: **Marissa, call for him. Call to Gibbs with your power.**

"Now you tell me," I muttered. I gave Jones my version of his evil smirk and gave him a good roundhouse kick to the neck. He fell down to the deck, howling in agony. I knew I only had a matter of seconds to do this, so I leaped back up on the barrel, raised my hands, and I screamed, "Gibbs!"

Nothing happened. I cried again, "GIBBS!"

Still nothing.

I opened my mouth to try once more, but Jones had other ideas: His sword caught me straight across the chest, slicing open just under my breasts directly over my heart. I saw Jones give his version of the smile, and then he disappeared. The _Dutchman _sank under the waves, my father along with it.

I wrapped my arms around my sides and fell to my knees. Somehow, I stayed awake long enough to see a flash of white light directly to my left, and I heard a familiar voice call my name.

"RISSA!"

"Gibbs…"

I blinked once, and then, there was nothing.

* * *

**A/N: I know you all hate me, but I always feel that to be a good writer, you have to be good at cliffhangers. I have to practice for later life, savvy?**

**See you tomorrow!**

**x Mevans**


	21. A Touch of Destiny

**A/N: Sorry, sorry, sorry! I had some problems with my Mac yesterday and that's why I've been absent. A special apology to ButterflyNinja935, my most loyal reader and reviewer. You keep me going.**

**Enjoy!**

**x Mevans**

* * *

_When I opened my eyes, all I could see was white. White everywhere. I was lying on my back, so I stood up and looked around. I had a body, the same body I had moments before. Except when I looked down at my chest, there was no blood there._

"_Am I dead?" It took me a moment to realize I'd said that aloud._

"_No, chile. You're not." _

_I spun to my right – with agility I was happy to find I had now, after almost a month of being a weak nothing – and saw a woman. She was a beautiful shade of brown and she was wearing a dress made of a whole manner of peculiar things._

"_Calypso," I whispered._

_I approached her and knelt at her feet. "I am your servant, honored Calypso."_

_She laughed. "Stand up. I know your love for me; you do not need to express it."_

_I stood quickly. Calypso sat down on a bench that had remained unseen by me until now. "Sit with me, chile. Rissa."_

_I sat next to her and looked at my lap. "Am I really not dead, Calypso?" I asked. "I feel so detached from everything, from everyone."_

_Calypso smiled. "You're as dead as Gibbs is."_

"_But Gibbs is dead too," I said, confused._

"_No, he's not." Calypso explained to me that at the moment Davy Jones' sword slashed through me, the power had worked and Gibbs had come back. "It does that."_

"_It waits for the power-holder to be killed before working?" I asked._

"_Not really," Calypso mused. "It's complicated. Even I do not understand."_

_She rose to her feet. "Now, since Gibbs is alive, I don't think he'll remain so for long if you aren't with him. So let's get to work."_

"_But, wait!" I begged. "Couldn't I just sit and talk with you, just for a moment longer? I mean, you are Calypso."_

"_Am I more important to you than Gibbs?" she asked. When I didn't answer, she smiled._

_My vision faded to black, and words floated through the air: "A touch…of destiny…"_


	22. Captainess

Complete darkness. A volley of sounds that I couldn't understand. A soft warmth leaning against my head. A wailing, a sobbing, a crying so loud right next to my ear.

I felt a hand caress my hair. "Rissa, my Rissa…"

I tried to move my head, but it was so heavy it didn't even twitch. My fingers did, though.

Someone murmured, "Did her fingers just-"

"No," someone else interrupted. "Don't bother being hopeful, lad."

I raised my hand a little, reaching around to try to find another. I heard several gasps. Slowly, I opened my eyes blearily, and I searched for the only face I wanted.

Gibbs was next to me, and it had been he who was crying into my hair. His face was streaked with tears and his eyes were nearly swollen shut. Will was kneeling on the other side of him, and I saw where his fingernails had dug into his cheeks with his grief. Jack was leaning against a pole behind them, and he hadn't seen me open my eyes. I could hear him sniffling.

I slid my hand into Gibbs', and I whispered hoarsely, "Don't mind me. I've had worse."

Gibbs and Will laughed and cried at the same time, and Gibbs kissed me. It was the most wonderful feeling. Jack came over, startled when Gibbs had whooped loudly, and he smiled bigger than I'd ever seen. "Welcome back, Gwenny," he said.

I smiled. "Thanks, Jackie," I replied.

Then I turned to Gibbs. I touched his cheek, and I asked, "Are you really here?"

"Yes, I'm here," he said. "Are you really here?"

"I'm here." Feeling my strength return, I pulled him closer, and I kissed him.

A soft sound in the close vicinity assaulted my ears: "_HHTtchh!"_

I immediately pulled away, looking at Will. He thumbed to his left, and I noticed Jack quickly stuffing something away into his breast pocket.

"Wasn't me," he said, holding up his hands.

Will gave him a look that said _yeah, right_.

"This one," Gibbs told me, pointing at Jack, "spent two days up on the crow's nest in the raging wind and sea air, hoping for some sign that you'd come flying back on a cloud. Mind you, he had about eight cases of rum up there with him. And he tried to hide it from your brother as well."

"That's not true at all!" Jack answered angrily. "I only had five cases. The other three I drank before I went up there."

Gibbs helped me pull myself to a sitting position so I could face Jack. "This one you deserve," I said, and I slapped Jack upside the head. "You really think that getting flat-out wasted is going to help bring me back?"

"Not really," Jack muttered, rubbing his head, "but you're sure back now."

I laughed. "All right," I said, getting out of the bed. "In you get. That's an order."

"Oi!" Jack protested. "I'm the captain! _HHTTchoo!"_

"Aye, but you can't captain this ship with a nasty cold, Jack," I answered, taking the hat off his head and laying it on a bedside table. "And you said yourself that if you were unable to captain the ship, I would take your place."

I kissed Gibbs, ruffled Will's hair, and ran out of the room, calling as I went up on deck, "All hands! Make sail!"


	23. Epilogue

Twenty Years Later

"Come on, love, it's not that hard!" I called down to my daughter, reaching for her hand.

"Mummy, I'm scared!" she cried.

I reached down and pulled her up. She screamed.

"Hush, Gwenny." I hugged her. "Look out to sea. Isn't it beautiful?"

I pointed out to the horizon before us, standing up in the crow's nest of the brand new ship Gibbs had gotten me for our twentieth anniversary. We had named her _Calypso_. The crew scattered below us, among them Alice Hathaway, who had sold her alehouse after marrying my brother Will, who was at the moment working below deck.

"Guinevere Dylan Gibbs! What are you doing up there without – oh, ha ha, hi, love." Gibbs hadn't seen me up here with Gwenny.

"Hello," I said. "Come up with us! It's lovely!"

Gibbs climbed up the rigging and joined us. "Look at us, Riss," Gibbs murmured into my ear. "Twenty years. And you didn't ever hesitate."

I laughed. I knew what he was joking about: the moment we had docked at Port Royal, twenty years ago, and me having been brought back to life a week before, Gibbs had immediately knelt down on one knee and asked to marry me. And I had said yes.

"I never wanted to," I said. "And look where it's gotten us. We have a beautiful daughter, a magnificent ship, and a wonderful life. What could ever go wrong?" I leaned in to kiss him.

Suddenly, a cannon went off. I screamed, and clutched Gwen to my chest. Gibbs reached for a rope to swing down to the deck, but then he began to laugh.

"What?" I said frantically. "What?"

"Look," Gibbs chuckled.

I did, and then I laughed too.

The _Black Pearl _was off our port side, and Jack had fired his cannon at us. It hadn't hit us, of course, but it had startled us.

"Jack, you great ugly -" Gibbs started, but I smacked his shoulder.

"Our daughter?" I reminded him.

"Oh. Right."

I swung down with Gwen in my arms, and Gibbs followed. We went to the rail of the ship, and I called, "Where you off to, Jack?"

"The horizon," he shouted back. "Care to join me?"

I motioned to Gibbs to give the order to make sail and I answered, "We'd be honored, Jack!"


End file.
